1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a kit for manufacturing an occlusal plane raising plate (splint) used by inserting between maxillary and mandible dental arches, easily and in a short period of time, and an occlusal plane raising plate manufactured by means of such a kit.
2. Description of the Related Art
The general attention is now attracted by symptoms known as arthrosis to temporomandibular joint. These symptoms are attributable to a long tension of muscles including temporal muscle, masseter muscle, lateral pterygoid muscles, medial pterygoid muscle, sternocleid mastoid muscle and trapezius muscles around the temporomandibular joint caused by clenching or gnashing of teeth unconsciously conducted under persisting stress or hard tensioning of the muscles of facial expression.
Clenching or gnashing of teeth unconsciously conducted under stress are called "bruxism" which may occur not only during sleep but also during wakening, and the number of automobile drivers and particularly computer operators who unconsciously clenches their teeth has recently increased. Upon occurrence of bruxism, the maxilla and mandible teeth bite with a maximum occlusal force, so that, in a person having malocclusion or a trouble in occlusion, suffers from more frequent occurrence of arthrosis of temporomandibular joint, and the condition of disease is believed to worsen.
Direct symptoms of arthrosis of temporomandibular joint include various muscular pains, muscular fatigue and muscular spasm around the temporomandibular portion as described above, and indirect symptoms include autonomic dysfunction, irritation or feeling of discomfort of which the cause is unknown, languor, stiffness of the shoulders, lumbago, chronic headache, numbness of the limbs, hypertension, some symptoms of diabetes mellitus, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, arrhythmia, angina pectoris, articular rheumatism, lack of patience or concentration, and various other symptoms are believed to be attributable to abnormal tonus of muscles or malocclusion.
Several means for alleviating these symptoms of arthrosis of temporomandibular joint have conventionally proposed, but none are satisfactory.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. S62-38,985(38,985/1987) discloses an orthodontic appliance which is arranged intraorally, and alleviates compression and pain caused by muscles of mastication resulting from the difference in biting pressure along the upper and lower dental arches. This orthodontic appliance comprises an elastic body provided with a fluid housing path therein and the fluid housed therein hydrostatically compensates a pressure difference produced from the occlusal force. However, since this orthodontic appliance has a configuration in which a fluid such as water is sealed in the elastic body, the appliance may be broken during use and the fluid housed therein may flow out into the oral cavity. Particularly when the upper and lower dentitions bite with the maximum biting force as in the case of bruxism described above, the appliance cannot withstand it.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,848 and No. 3,532,091 also disclose orthodontic appliances similar to that of JP S62-38,985. These orthodontic appliances have a configuration comprising an elastic body housing a fluid therein, and have a problem in that there is a risk of the fluid therein flowing out upon breakage thereof during use, and further, there is taken no counter- measure against bruxism.
Further, there is available an occlusion plane raising plate prepared by hardening a hardenable material in agreement with the shape of teeth of the patient, i. e., a dentist copies the shape of upper and lower dentitions of the patient, and separately manufactures a raising plate on the basis thereof. This occlusion plane raising plate is defective in that it requires a long time and technical skill for manufacture.
The present invention was developed to solve the defects of the conventional art as described above, and has an object to permit easy manufacture in a short period of time an occlusal plane raising plate which eliminates the risk of an internal fluid flowing out during use, and is effective also for bruxism.